


show me love (in all the things you do)

by Bellakitse



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Boys In Love, Fluff, Getting Back Together, M/M, Michael Guerin Loves Alex Manes, Michael is soft and like to take care of Alex, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:41:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21752407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bellakitse/pseuds/Bellakitse
Summary: Five times Michael showed his love for Alex with a kind gesture, and the one time, Alex returned the favor with a big gesture.
Relationships: Michael Guerin/Alex Manes
Comments: 38
Kudos: 266





	show me love (in all the things you do)

**Author's Note:**

> So this started because in the massive 'The holiday AU' fic I'm working on, Michael says he wants to pick Alex flowers, and then all these ideas came to me of things that Michael would do to show his love for Alex.

1.

Michael looks up at the sound of tires on gravel and frowns as he hears something else, it’s low, but still there. He waits for Alex to park and get out of his SUV.

“Guerin, I brought the pictures,” he says instead of a greeting showing him a manila folder he’s carrying.

“There’s a rattle to your car,” Michael says at the same time stopping Alex short. He looks at his car and then back at Michael.

“I didn’t hear anything,” Alex answers with an unconcerned shrug that makes Michael roll his eyes.

“Yeah, well, you suck at cars,” Michael answers a little testy. “But, I heard it.”

Alex raises an eyebrow at him. “I think we have more important things to go over than this _rattle_ you heard,” Alex answers him, the air quotes over rattle evident in his tone.

“Not more important than car safety,” Michael shoots back. ‘Not more important than _your_ safety’ he doesn’t say vocally, but he thinks Alex hears it anyway as his expression softens.

They’re getting better at this, they’re never going to be the kind of men whom words come easily too, but they’ve been working hard at understanding what isn’t being said out loud without turning it into a worst-case scenario.

“Well,” Alex starts, his voice soft. He walks toward Michael, taking his hand and placing his keys in them. “Since I don’t know anything about cars like you said, I would appreciate it if you took a look at it to make sure it’s okay.”

He holds on to Michael’s hand, squeezing it before he lets go. It leaves Michael feeling warm.

Michael nods, biting down on the strange urge to say thank you. _Thank you for understanding. Thank you for letting me take care of you._

“The stuff you want to compare to your pictures is in the airstream,” he waves towards his home. “Go see if it’s worth anything while I check this out.”

Alex opens his mouth like he wants to say something else; in the end, he gives him a quirk of his lips and does as Michael says. Michael watches him go until he’s inside the airstream before he starts to work on Alex’s SUV; he’s never been able to not look at Alex until he’s out of sight. He tried for a while when he thought easy was what he wanted, and all it proved was that it was an exercise in pointlessness. He’s never been able to look away from Alex, not really.

In the end, he finds that the noise is because Alex’s car is in pressing need of an oil change. Alex, now sitting in his chair with a beer in his hand, looks at him blankly when he tells him so.

“You do know cars need oil from time to time, right?” he asks, biting down on a grin when Alex shifts in his seat like he hadn’t realized.

A thought enters Michael’s mind, and now he doesn’t hold back his smile. “Do you even know how to change the oil, Alex?”

Alex shoots him an annoyed look, but Michael can see some pink in his cheeks. “I have you for that,” Alex says quietly after a moment looking at Michael from under his lashes.

Michael feels the words under his ribcage. It takes him a moment to catch his breath from the depth of them. He can read what’s underneath them.

“Yeah,” he says just as softly. “You do.”

2.

Alex is focused and determined to the point of self-neglect sometimes. Michael has never known someone so smart and capable, but who could forget something as simple as remembering to eat. He arrives at Jesse Manes’ old bunker. Now, Alien headquarters, and feels the same kind of grim satisfaction he always feels when he steps into it, thinking how much it would infuriate the bastard to know that aliens have taken over his little clubhouse and now use it for the sole purpose of bringing him down, with his youngest son leading the charge.

He finds Alex where he left him the evening before, in the same t-shirt, telling him all he needs to know. Alex hasn’t moved from his computers all night.

“I ran into Maria in town with Buffy,” he calls out, placing the bags of takeout on the main table in the center of the bunker.

“I asked her to check in on her,” Alex answers, still typing away.

“She told me,” Michael answers, pulling out styrofoam containers with Arturo’s enchiladas with red and green sauce, just the way Alex likes them. “She said that if you can’t be a responsible dog dad, she’s going to file for custody of her niece.”

Alex snorts, and Michael guesses the reaction makes sense. Buffy might have warmed up to all of them, Maria the most since she was there when Alex rescued her, but the beagle adores Alex with a passion that rivals Michael’s. No one is taking her away from him; he’s more than sure Buffy wouldn’t let it happen. Alex turns in his chair, lifting a brow when he spots the food.

“What’s all this?” he asks carefully.

“You’ve been staring at those screens way too long if you don’t recognize Arturo’s specialty,” he comments, taking out a second container with his own food. “Now, why don’t you come over here and join me, and if you’re good and eat all your food, there might be a triple chocolate shake in here for you as dessert.”

Alex stands up, making a face down at his leg, and Michael can only imagine how sore it must be from Alex having it on for so long. He spots Alex’s crutch and silently floats it over to Alex. He’s looking down at his food as he cuts into it, but he can feel Alex’s eyes on him as he walks over to the table.

“Christmas style,” Alex says quietly, and when Michael looks up, he finds Alex giving him a grateful smile. He nods back at him as he takes a bite of his food and gestures towards the free space on the couch next to him. Silently he’s grateful Valenti insisted on adding it to the bunker, even if he thinks it gives Alex an excuse to stay down here longer since now he has a place to lay down when he needs rest.

Alex sits next to him, and they eat in silence, only the sound of their forks scraping the bottom filling the room as they finish their food.

“That was _so_ good,” Alex sighs happily, his eyes drooping as he gets comfortable on the couch. Michael puts the garbage back in the bags before reclaiming his place next to Alex. “I could eat my weight in Arturo’s food.”

Michael lifts Alex’s right leg to his lap and starts to do a quick job of taking off Alex’s shoe, followed by the prosthetic, his pant’s leg rolled up. Alex doesn’t startle like he did the first time Michael did this after Alex pulled long hours in the bunker, now he just sinks deeper into the couch, his eyes barely opened as Michael starts to massage the sore muscles. Michael watches him, the way he’s gone soft and relaxed under his touch. How comfortable they are with each other, it’s _good_ , but he wants more.

“Maybe we can do it again,” he starts, pressing a firm thumb under Alex’s knee, right above where his leg ends. Alex lets out a moan, and it makes Michael’s stomach quiver. “Outside, like a date,” he blurts out, and he feels Alex still under his hands. He holds his breath, waits a moment before finally moving his gaze from Alex’s leg to his face.

The shy smile, and brightness of Alex’s eyes help him let go of the breath he’s holding.

“I’d really like that.”

3.

They're all over at Isobel's, he and Max are by the grill. Isobel is making margaritas in the kitchen, regular for the group, and virgin for Rosa, while the resurrected teenager looks on. Valenti is in a corner with Cameron looking like he's trying to make some serious heart eyes in her direction, much to her amusement if the smirk on her lips is anything to go by. While the human trio that is Liz, Alex and Maria are a few feet away from them, laughter breaking out as Maria recounts some date she went on the night before.

"Not to blame the victim," He overhears Liz say. "But this is kind of your fault, didn't we establish never to date guys named Chad? Did the last Chad teach you nothing?

Alex nods in agreement as Maria frowns at both of them.

"He seemed nice," she argues, which earns a snort from both Liz and Alex.

"I don't care if he's a saint," Alex says with a scrunched up face that is cuter than it has any right to be. "Chads are such, _Chads_."

Maria opens her mouth like she wants to argue some more but in the end, deflates with an exhale. "Yeah, when you're right, you're right."

The humans keep talking, but Michael's focus is on his boyfriend. He looks good in his slim jeans and grey Henley with his sleeves pushed up. He fights the urge to walk over and press himself against him, but they both promised Isobel not to, as she puts it, ‘slobber all over each other.’

He takes offense at the description and the accusing tone with which she said it. There's nothing wrong with wanting to touch and kiss Alex all the time if you’re lucky to have the privilege to do so.

He turns his back to the walking temptation that is Alex Manes and tries to focus on something else. Max is looking fine as he handles the grill and doesn’t seem to need Michael’s help, so he focuses on the small garden Isobel has started. Flowers litter her yard in what should be a colorful mess but instead give the area vibrancy. He touches a few petals here and there, finally plucking a red carnation.

"Isobel's not going to like that," Alex whispers close to his ear, having walked over to him without Michael noticing.

"You're not going to rat me out, are you?" he asks, turning around to face him, smiling when Alex gets closer to him, as he places his hands on Michael’s hips.

"I'll try not to, but she _is_ a mind reader," Alex teases, grinning when Michael pulls him closer still.

"I'll give you a flower if you hold out," Michael says, presenting him the red carnation. He expects Alex to laugh or roll his eyes. Instead, his face goes soft as he takes the small flower in his hand like it's something precious.

Liz calls out his name, but Alex continues to look at him.

"No one's ever given me a flower before," Alex says softly, running his fingers over the petals, and he gives Michael a wide smile before he walks back to his friend.

*

It sticks with him. That smile on Alex's face over something so simple like a flower sticks with him the rest of the night and then the rest of the week. It sticks with him as he goes into the flower shop on Main street, and as he picks every single flower with careful consideration before he drives out to Alex's cabin with the small bouquet held together by a slim yellow ribbon.

He makes his way up Alex’s walkway with the flowers in his hand, using the key Alex gave him months ago even before they started this up again to open the door. Buffy greets him with an enthusiastic bark, her owner nowhere in sight.

"Alex?" he calls out, taking his boots off to leave them by the entrance. He spots snacks on the coffee table in the living room, and Netflix queued up on the TV, a mellow date is what they usually prefer.

"I'm coming," he gets as an answer from the kitchen. He holds his breath as he hears Alex start to make his way to him.

"Hey, perfect timing, I just turned off the chili," Alex says with a smile as he moves in to greet him.

Michael pulls the bouquet from behind his back, practically thrusting it in Alex's face in his nervousness, Alex startles back, eyeing the flowers and then Michael.

Michael feels his cheeks grow hot, feeling ridiculous before Alex takes the flowers from him.

Holding them close to his face, he breathes them in before he looks back at Michael with the same smile from the other day.

"They’re perfect, thank you," he says quietly. He heads back into the kitchen to put them in water and comes back moments later with two bowls of food.

Two episodes of ‘Queer Eye’ later, Michael is full, warm, and being lulled to sleep as Alex rests practically on him, his head tucked under Michael’s chin, his arms around his waist. He lifts his head, pressing his lips under Michael’s jaw.

“They’re beautiful,” he whispers against his skin. “Happy five months, Michael.”

Michael tightens his hold on him in response.

4.

Maria likes to host events at the Wild Pony and make them participate, he doesn’t know if it’s their love for her or fear, but usually when Maria wants something they all fall in line. Last month it was Alex and Liz belting out 90’s rock like it was their job. The month before that, it was Max, Kyle, and Michael helping out for her ladies' night by serving drinks shirtless. He’s still not sure what Alex said to get out of it, but he remembers the love of his life sitting with Liz and Isobel, smirking in his direction as the female population of Roswell objectified him.

Maria doesn’t ask him to play on her open mic night, but she flashes him a smile of gratitude when she sees him at the sign-up sheet. He figures it’s killing two birds with one stone. He helps someone he cares about, and he shows Alex something he’s been wanting to show him for years.

He’s sitting next to Alex, his knee bouncing, and he’s barely heard the conversation his friends are having around him. Alex places a hand on his thigh, stilling it. He looks at Michael with a worried look.

Michael opens his mouth to reassure him, but he spots Maria making her way up the makeshift stage. He threads his fingers through Alex’s hair and pulls him in for a kiss that Alex returns easily.

“Michael?” Alex asks, concern creeping into his voice.

He presses his forehead against Alex’s, but he doesn’t answer his question, not when Maria is telling the bar of their first participant of the night and calling his name.

Alex pulls back and looks at him with surprised eyes. He just smiles, hoping it hides his nerves, and with one last kiss, he makes his way up to the stage. Maria hands him a guitar with a wink and a ‘go get em.’ Sitting down, he adjusts the mike to where he wants it and picks up the guitar. Looking out at the crowd, he finds his friends all watching him, curious but supportive.

“When I was seventeen,” he starts, licking his lips as he talks. He’s never been one to be open about his feelings, but with Alex, he struggles daily not to shout from the rooftops how in love he is. “I saw a boy I loved, and I’ve never looked away since,” he continues, he thinks he sees that idiot Wyatt make a rude gesture out of the corner of his eye, but it doesn’t matter, not when he finds Alex staring at him in rapt attention. “This is his song,” he finishes.

He places his fingers over the right cords, closes his eyes, and starts to play a song that has been Alex’s since he wrote it over a decade ago. It’s always been his, even when he couldn’t play due to his hand, the song has been Alex’s, just like Michael has been Alex’s.

The song comes to an end, and only then does Michael open his eyes; he doesn’t hear the applause or sees anyone but Alex.

Just Alex.

5.

Alex has been making faces when he thinks he isn’t looking, and Michael knows it’s because of his new prosthetic. When Michael questions if it’s bothering him too much, Alex waves him away, telling him it’s always like this with a new one and that he’ll get used to it soon enough.

Not that it will get better or that the discomfort will go away, no, just that he’ll get used to it. Which in Alex speak means that it’s always going to hurt him, he’s just going to ignore it.

It makes Michael want to hold him close and protect him from anything that causes him pain but also shake him for accepting the pain like it’s his lot in life.

He doesn’t bring it up again because it will probably lead to a fight. Instead, Michael does what he does best, he sciences the shit out of the problem. He studies everything he can get his hands on about the best prosthetics on the market. He sucks it up and talks to Valenti about what he wants to do, and tries not to scowl when the good doctor looks at him like he’s proud of him, before loading him up on all the information he can gather in the hospital about artificial limbs. Armed with all his tools he gets to work, he’s a genius after all; it shouldn’t be that hard to figure out.

It takes him six weeks to build something he thinks is worthy, longer than he expected, and he’s annoyed at himself for taking so long. Alex is still carrying an air of discomfort, and it bothers him.

Alex, of course, notices.

“What’s going on with you?” he asks as they get ready for bed while Alex goes through his nightly PT’s. “You’ve been moody for days.”

Michael looks over at the closet, where he’s hiding the finished prosthetic. He finished it the day before, and Michael marvels at Alex’s timing.

“I have been working on something, and it’s been giving me trouble,” Michael answers, sitting up when Alex stops what he’s doing to look at him.

“The ship?” Alex questions calmly, they’ve come a long way from when his ship was a touchy subject between them.

Michael shakes his head and without a word, gets up and walks towards his closet, pulling out the carefully wrapped limb.

“I made this for you,” he says nervously, placing it on the bed for Alex. He watches and waits for him to unwrap it, swallowing hard when Alex lets out a gasp.

“I’ve worked out all the calculations, weight distribution, the mobility and dexterity you require,” he rushes to explain. “It’s lighter and better cushioned. It shouldn’t cause you as much soreness as the one you have.”

Alex doesn’t look at him; he stares at the prosthetic, reaching out to touch it with shaking fingers.

“Say something,” he whispers, worried when Alex remains silent, his worry spiking up when Alex finally looks up at him with tears running down his face.

“Alex,” he starts, alarmed, but Alex doesn’t let him get anything else out. He finds himself with an armful of Alex Manes, as he crawls into his lap and holds him tight. Michael runs his hands up and down Alex’s back, trying to soothe him, waiting until Alex has calmed down enough to speak.

Alex pulls back, he looks down at the prosthetic and then again at Michael, fresh tears clinging to his lashes. “I love you so much,” Alex whispers, the words hitting Michael square in the chest the way they always do when Alex speaks them.

Alex leans in, pressing his forehead against his, letting out a slow exhale. “Thank you, Michael.”

+1

Michael is in his bunker a week later, tinkering with some compounds when he hears someone come down the ladder. He smiles, knowing who it is, his smile only growing as he watches Alex land on his feet with ease.

“Hey,” he calls out, getting a greeting in return.

“I brought burgers,” Alex says placing the bag he’s carrying on the table.

Michael looks at it, his stomach jumping as he finds a carnation on top of the bag. He picks it up and brings it to his nose before he looks over at Alex. He’s not looking at him but Michael spots his smile anyway. He places the carnation in a glass of water before they sit on his old couch with food in hand.

Catching up on each other’s day, Alex tells him he ran into Liz and she wants them to come over for dinner at Max’s. He watches with a growing frown as every once in a while, Alex rubs his knee.

“Is it bothering you?” he finally questions when they’re done, and Alex is gathering their trash.

“Hmm?”

“Your leg, is it bothering you?” he asks again. “You’ve been rubbing it. I can make adjustments if you need them.”

Alex turns to face him, leaning against Michael’s work table. “The prosthetic is perfect, Michael,” he reassures him. “I’m pretty sure I could run a marathon with it if I were a glutton for punishment.”

Michael laughs at the joke, the worry that had been building easing up. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” Alex nods, lifting his leg, flexing it one way and another. “It’s made everything easier,” he answers before he licks his lips, his hand twitching at his side, and Michael frowns again, realizing that while he’s been worried about Alex’s leg, he’s missed that Alex is nervous.

“Including kneeling,” Alex tells him, in a way that sounds meaningful before he does precisely that, and kneels in front of Michael, resting a hand on Michael’s knee.

“I like where this is going, darling,” he teases in the hope that the tension he sees in Alex’s shoulders will loosen. It seems to work as Alex rolls his eyes at him.

“That’s not where I’m going with this, Michael,” Alex says, rolling his eyes again, though it loses it’s punch when there’s a fond smile on his face.

“Well, where are you going with this then?” he asks.

“Where I’m going with this is, _this_ ,” Alex takes a deep breath, sticking his hand in his pocket to take out a small black velvet box.

Michael is pretty sure he’s lost the ability to breathe.

“I’m not good at showing how much I love you,” Alex starts, quietly, his eyes never straying from Michael’s. “Not the way you are, Michael. You show me you love me in all the things you do. Changing my car’s oil, picking me wildflowers, making sure I eat because I forget to when I’m working. You stand in front of a crowd and sing me a song you wrote just for me. You build me a leg because you didn’t want me to be in pain. You show me so much love in a million ways and I don’t always know how to show you that I feel the same.”

“Alex,” he whispers, reaching out he touches Alex’s face. His breath catching as Alex turns his head to press a kiss at his palm.

“But I hope you know how much I love you, I’ve always loved you and I always will,” Alex continues, opening the box to reveal a simple gold band before taking Michael’s hand in his. “Marry me?” he asks, the words barely out of his mouth before Michael is hauling him up, dragging him to his lap, his mouth covering Alex’s.

Alex lets him manhandle him, laughing breathlessly into the kiss.

“Is that a yes?” he teases.

When Michael finally lets him breathe, he slips the ring onto Michael’s finger. Michael nods, not bothering with words as he presses Alex into the couch, pulling him into another kiss; he rather show him than tell him anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> come talk to me about these two on [tumblr](https://bellakitse.tumblr.com/)


End file.
